Come On, Heroine

The bedroom fell silent, a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Only Nie Ruoyun's breathing grew ragged and rapid.

She stared at the scoundrel before her, her eyes wide with disbelief. Speechless, she parted her lips, but no words came out.

Shen Yingnian smiled. "Don't look so surprised," he said. "I'm serious. And don't get too excited. Our fun has just begun."

Nie Ruoyun's face went from red to ashen. "You're the most shameless person I've ever met!" she exclaimed.

"Women always play hard to get," Shen Yingnian replied with a smirk. "But I understand. It's all part of the game."

"…"

Nie Ruoyun began to tremble again, this time with rage.

This man had taken her innocence and was now mocking her. It was beyond contempt!

She wanted to tear him apart with the clothes she was clutching.

Seeing her about to snap, Shen Yingnian remained calm.

As a villain, he had to play the part.

Being too serious would only make her suspicious.

It wasn't that he particularly wanted to grovel at her feet, but he couldn't have her follow the novel's plot and end up with Xiao Chen.

Even though Nie Ruoyun only ran a beauty products company, her assets a fraction of the Shen family's, Shen Yingnian knew her true background: she was the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family!

Like many stories, Nie Ruoyun had been neglected and bullied, forcing her to make her own way in the world.

In the original novel, after meeting Xiao Chen, she received a lot of help from him. He even used a secret family recipe to create a miracle beauty product that became a huge success.

This success attracted the attention of her wealthy family, and she was invited home for her father's birthday, bringing Xiao Chen along.

At the banquet, Xiao Chen discovered that her father had a hidden illness and a feng shui curse. He solved the problem, earning the family's gratitude and repeatedly humiliating those who had bullied Nie Ruoyun.

Eventually, she fell in love with Xiao Chen and joined his harem.

And the Nie family became one of Xiao Chen's powerful backers. They later joined forces to destroy the Shen family!

Knowing this, Shen Yingnian was determined to make Nie Ruoyun his.

"Alright, you need time to think," Shen Yingnian said with a playful smile. "But I'm not one for delays. I want an answer now."

"Shen Yingnian, you're going too far!" Nie Ruoyun cried. "You've violated me, and now you want to… Don't even dream about it! I'd rather die than be with you!"

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes! And I want to kill you!"

"Then I can't let you leave," Shen Yingnian said coldly. "If you walk out of here today, we'll either be lovers or enemies. It's a simple choice, and I'm not choosing the latter."

Before she could retort, he continued, "You're from the Nie family in the provincial capital, right?"

Nie Ruoyun was stunned. "How… how did you know?"

He ignored her question. "But it's a pity," he went on. "Even though you're a member of the Nie family, they haven't acknowledged you. You're just an illegitimate daughter. You and your mother were neglected and bullied, so you decided to make a name for yourself and prove them wrong…"

Nie Ruoyun's face paled.

Every word was like a knife to her heart.

"I admire your ambition," Shen Yingnian said without a hint of sympathy. "But it seems your efforts have been in vain."

Nie Ruoyun shuddered. "What are you trying to say?!" she demanded, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't worry, just listen," he said calmly. "If the Nie family finds out about this, will they stand up for you and seek revenge, or will they try to cover it up to avoid scandal?"

Nie Ruoyun was silent, her face etched with sadness and despair.

She knew the answer.

The Shen family was also powerful. The Nie family would never risk a conflict with them for an illegitimate daughter.

In fact, they would probably see this as a disgrace and try to bury it.

Seeing her despair, Shen Yingnian continued, "And if I told the Nie family what happened and proposed marriage, do you think they'd agree?"

"How dare you?!" Nie Ruoyun exclaimed.

"I dare," Shen Yingnian said calmly.

"…" Nie Ruoyun could only grit her teeth.

This man was capable of anything.

She could only offer a weak resistance. "If you do that, I'll kill myself!"

"Go ahead," Shen Yingnian sneered. "I've already ruined your innocence. But you won't. You're not ready to die. What about your mother?"

That was her weakness.

He had her trapped. Even a symbolic struggle was impossible.

Her mother was her only concern. If she died, her mother wouldn't survive.

Nie Ruoyun's armor shattered, her dignity stripped bare.

Shen Yingnian seized the moment. "You don't have a choice," he said. "You have to be with me. But you get to choose how. Do you want to be agreeable, or do you want to make a scene and ruin your reputation?" He took a drag from his e-cigarette, the smoke swirling around him, making him seem even more menacing.

She felt a strange sensation.

This man, who had seemed like a fool, was now exuding an unfathomable pressure.

She, who had always been strong and determined, felt utterly defeated.